"Just as a chakravarty
with the help of Sudarshan wheel conquers the six great lands, I (Nemichandra)
have by virtue of my quest for truth, assimilated the six divisions of the
scriptures of Jain philosophy (Shat Khandagam)". He was known as Siddhanta
Chakravarty (the repository of the all pervading philosophy ennunciated by
omni-conscious lords of the Digamber Jain order). He was a contemporary of
the Jain king Chamunda Rai, whose time is the first half of the 11th
century. So he lived in this land then.

He was not an ordinary
scholar; his great living works, Gomattasar Jivkand, Gomattasar Karmakand,
Triloksar, Labdhisar and Kshapanasar are shining examples of his
extraordinary erudition and a full justification of the title Siddhanta
Chakravarty i.e. the great master of the fundamental principles.

On the pursuasion of
King Chamund Rai, he wrote Gomattasar taking the essence of all available
works of the great Acharyas. Jivkand and Karmakand are two parts thereof.

The Shat Khandagam
written by Bhutbali and Pushpadanta, the disciples of Acharya Dharsen, is
the oldest work in the old traditional Jain literature. In the first part
of this treatise many subjects from the soul and soul combined with karmas
aspects have been described. Keeping these in view Siddhanta Chakravarty
Nemichandra wrote Gomattasar and divided it in two parts, Jivkand and
Karmakand.

Gomattasar is a regular
text-book of the Jain Vidyalayas. In the first chapter of this great work,
Gunasthans have been elaborately dealt with. This lesson has been written
keeping in view the deliberations there. For a wide knowledge of the
Gunasthans, students are advised to study Gomattasar Jivkand.

FOURTEEN
GUNASTHANS

Out of the five Bhavas
of all the living creatures, some have two, some three, some four and some
have all the five Bhavas. There are (i) Aupshamik, (ii) Kshayik, (iii)
Kshayopshamik, (iv) Audyik and (v) Parnamik. These are the Bhavas of the
self. Out of these the first four, from the real point of view, though
soul operated, conventionally are according to Upsham, Kshaya,
Kshayopshama and Udai and, therefore, their names Aupshamik, Kshayopshamik
and Audyik are meaningful; the name Parinam is given to the eternal, same,
without the support of any karma, and easily natural Bhav and such a Bhav
is called the Parnamik Bhav. These bhavas, caused by delusion and
activities of the mind, speech and body, produce fourteen stages which are
called the Gunasthans; which are as follows :-

Mitthyatva

Sasadan

Misra

Avirat Samyaktva

Deshvirat

Pramatta Sanyat

Apramatta Sanyat

Apuravakaran

Anivritti Karan

Sukshama Sampraya

Upshant Kashay

Kshina Kashay

Sayogkevaii Jin

Ayogkevali Jin

1. Mitthyatva

The word Mitthyatva
means untrue, perverse, false or contradictory. The collective Bhav of
those beings, whose faith of the purposeful substances like the soul are
untrue, is called the Mitthyatva Gunasthan. Just as a patient suffering
from fever does not relish sweet things, the person having wrong faith
does not relish the religion of the soul, which assumes three forms, right
faith, right knowledge and right conduct. This means that he does not have
correct faith in spiritual experience as also faith of the God, the
scripture and the monk.

This wrong faith is of
two kinds-(i) Inherited, (ii) Adopted. The current of the absence of real
consciousness in all the creatures of this world, by which these develop
the sense of oneness in inanimate objects like bodies and their
instrumental attachments etc., is called the inherited wrong faith. In its
presence, the perverse imaginary faith of creatures not knowing the exact
nature of things, which is newly acquired is called adopted wrong faith.

2. Sasadan

The affliction of right
faith is Asadan and the modification associated with that is Sasadan. When
an Aupshamik Samyakdirshti being in the appearance of Anantanubandhi
passion has in that period of Aupshamik right faith for one Samay or at
the most six Avalies, destroys right faith and fails from that holy mount,
but does not touch the ground of wrong faith, the state of that being is
called Sasadan Gunasthan.

The full name of this
Gunasthan is Sasadan Samyaktva. The word Samayaktva has been added on
account of the logic of past association. Its time is Antarmuhurat only.

3. Misra

The Gunasthan having
correct and incorrect faith at the same time in the fruition of
Samyakmitthyatva Prakriti that faith is called the mixed Gunasthan. Just
as we taste curd and sugar and enjoy its mixed taste, in the same way
person having such a faith has both correct and incorrect beliefs.
Anantanubandhi passion is non-existent here. The duration of this
Gunasthan is also Antarmuhurat.

From this Gunasthan a
being does not go to Deshvirat or Apramatta Sanyat Gunasthan and does not
have age bondage of the next phases, death and Marnantik Samudghat.

4. Avirat
Samyakdrishti

The state of the soul
with real right faith and devoid of real observance of rules of conduct
(i.e., Anuvirat and Mahavrit) is the fourth stage named Avirat Samyaktva.

This soul attains right
faith with Kshayopsham and other achievements and with external conduct
suitable for a being in the fourth stage, by being in the vicinity of the
soul with its efforts and with spiritual experience. This is to say that
the being understands the real intrinsic nature of the soul, that he is
the sentient supreme God, he alone being the knower, the rest the known,
and that he does not have any relationship with the non-self entities. The
unnatural manifestations of the soul are not in its nature; they disappear
with the vision of the sentient nature and with oneness with it, they do
not arise at all. This vision with determined decisive state touches the
blissful and the detached state of the being; even when the intrinsic
experience is lost sight of, the purity of the Soul consequent of the
absence of the Anantanubandhi passions persists and is called the fourth
Gunasthan of Avirat Samyaktva.

It is of three kinds : (i)
Aupshamik, (ii) Kshayopshamic and (iii) Kshayik. Out of these three with
anyone kind of right faith, as long as this being holds the state of
non-abstinence on account of fruition of Aprityakhyanavaran passion,
pride, deceit or greed, he is in the stage of the fourth Avirat
Samayakdrishti Gunasthan. The being, in this stage, being rich in the
consciousness of the soul, naturally becomes indifferent to the sensual
pleasures. From the point of view of Charnanuyog, he has not renounced
injury to moving and non-moving creatures and the objects of the five
senses. Non-abstinence of the twelve kinds is, therefore, found in him.

5. Deshvirat

The aspirant in the
fourth stage develops the purity of soul operation and attains the fifth
stage. The soul experience is now more frequent than in the fourth stage
and the Aprityakhyanavaran passion is eliminated. His peace of the soul
having been developed, he becomes indifferent towards non-self entities
and develops merits of Deshvirat. He begins to observe the rules of
conduct, as they should be, but his purity not being very forceful, he
cannot accept monkhood. This stage is the fifth stage. This is also called
Vratavirat or Sanyatasanyat Gunasthan, for internally he follows real
abstinence of the Sanyamasanyam stage, while outwardly he abstains from
killing or injuring moving creatures but does not abstain from killing or
injuring non-moving creatures. The householder of this stage follows
Anuvarats as a matter of course. Sentient Chhullak, Elak and Airika of the
eleventh stage come under this Gunasthan.

6. Pramatta Sanyat

The sentient aspirant
with right faith, who achieves more purity than that of the fifth
Gunasthan, having qualified himself for the complete conduct with some
recklessness, is in the sixth stage of Pramatta Sanyam Gunasthan. This
term is meaningful, for there is elimination of twelve passions in the
complete conduct stage, with the existence of Sanjwalan passion with usual
force and recklessness that generates blemishes.

From the Mahavrata
aspect the monk in the sixth stage thinks with feelings of attachment.
Though teachings are imparted and accepted, food is accepted, going and
coming from one place to the other continues; and yet the internal purity
of the monk is retained and accordingly the twenty-eight primary rules and
their associates are duly observed. The twenty-eight primary rules are :

Five Mahavratas, five
Samities, six essentials, five sense controls, nakedness, uprooting of
hair, non-bathing, sleeping on the earth, not cleaning one's teeth, taking
meals in a standing posture, and taking meals once only.

The fifteen
recklessnesses are four unhealthy narration of women, food, nation and
king, four passions of anger, pride, deceit and greed, five senses, sleep
and love. These can be multiplied into eighty. Though it attracts
impurities, this recklessness does not destroy the real abstinence of the
sixth Gunasthan.

Process of thoughts with
necessary purity of operation is found in the sixth stage, while the
seventh Gunasthan is without the process of thinking. The duration of both
is Antarmuhurat. As such the monks may remain in that stage for thousands
of years. They alternate between the sixth and the seventh stages without
any exception always, staying in the one for an Antarmuhurat only and then
going to the other. One noteworthy fact is that the monk first has the
experience of the seventh Gunasthan and then he descends to the sixth.

7. Apramatta Sanyat

The real monks without
the fifteen recklessnesses are in the Apramatta Gunasthan. The twelve
passions are totally absent here, while Sanjwalan passions are also very
soft, appropriate to this stage of development. The recklessnesses do not
generate any impurities here and the primary and secondary rules of
conduct lead to faultless operative stage. The designation Apramatta
Sanyat is, therefore, meaningful. Knowingly there is no thought process,
having meditation of the pure soul and its experience. This state
continues in all the Gunasthans ahead. This Gunasthan has two kinds (i)
Swasthan Apramatta Sanyat, (ii) Satishaya Apramatta Sanyat.

Those in this stage who
do not ascend the Kshapak Shreni or the Upsham Shreni and alternate
between the Pramatta and Apramatta states are called Swasthan Apramatta
Sanyat. The above same monks having developed special oneness with the
self facing the ascendance of the Shreni and attaining the purity of
Adhahpravrittakaran are called Satishaya Apramatta Sanyat. When they apply
all their spiritual might and develop oneness with the soul, they reach
the eighth, ninth, tenth and the twelfth Gunasthans in an Antarmuhurat,
destroying the twenty one Prakrities of Charitra Mohiniya, after which
they definitely obtain omniscience (thirteenth Gunasthan). If their effort
is not complete, they reach eighth, ninth, tenth and the eleventh
Gunasthans in an Antarmuhurat and subside the twenty-one prakrities
instead of destroying them.

The duration of
Adhahpravrittikaran is an Antarmuhurat. ('Karan' here means
manifestation). The soul in this state has countless times greater purity
and different souls in backward and forward stages have similar
manifestations as well dissimilar ones. Souls with Adhahpravrittikaran are
called Satishaya Apramatta Sanyat.

8. Apuravakaran

The modifications of
souls in this Gunasthan are unprecedented, their duration being an
Antarmuhurat. Each soul has still greater purity every moment. Considered
from the side of different souls, the modifications of souls in different
times are dissimilar and those staying therein in the same time have both
similar and dissimilar modifications. Such being their development, the
Gunasthan is named as Apurvakaran. Souls ascending on the Upsham Shreni as
well as the Kshapak Shreni have the same modifications of their beings.

9. Anivrittikaran

Anivritti means similar
and karan means modifications. Each soul has only one modification which
is with infinitely great purity and is dissimilar in cases of souls in
different timings and the modifications of the souls in one and the same
time are always similar. Such being the current of modifications in this
state, this Gunasthan is called the Anivrittikaran Gunasthan. The duration
is Antarmuhurat. The soul at this stage by the fire of contemplation
subsides the twenty Prakrities of Mohiniya or destroys the twenty
Prakrities of the Mohiniya and the thirteen of the Namkarma. People in
this Gunasthan do not attract future life karmic matter.

10. Sukshma Sampraya

Those who entertain
minor greed passion unintentionally and have similar modifications of
fixed purity, which is eternally multipliable and who have their karmas
always either subsided or destroyed, are said to be in the Sukshama
Sampray Gunasthan.

11. Upshant Kashay

The person in this
Gunasthan has subsidised external and internal passions as the clean water
in the autumn season, having been purified by adding alum to it. The
duration here is also Antarmuhurat. Since it has complete detachment with
imperfect sentience it is also called Upshant Kashay Veetrag Chhadmastha
Gunasthan. The difference in modifications as found in supievor Gunasthans
is not found in this as also in the following Gunasthans. Out of the four
destructive karmas, the Mohiniya is in the Upsham state while the other
three have the Kshayopsham state. On the completion of the duration of
this Gunasthan or on completion of the age, the soul fails down from this
Gunasthan.

12. Kshina Kashay

The souls that have
annihilated all passions and attained perfect detachment with the complete
elimination of all the karmas like the pure water kept in a pure quartz
vessel, occupy this Gunasthan named Kshina Kashay. The duration is
Antarmuhurat. Since there is yet imperfection in sentience, though
complete detachment has been attained this Gunasthan is called Kshina
Kashay Veetrag Chhadmastha. The saints following the perfect conduct in
this stage, have annihilated the Mohiniya Karma altogether and the
remaining three destructive karmas have their Kshayopshama. They will
destroy the three remaining karmas in an Antarmuhurat and reach the
thirteenth Gunasthan.

13. Sayog Kevaii Jin

The souls in the
thirteenth stage who have dispelled the darkness of ignorance altogether
with the rise of the sun of omniscience and who have attained Godhood,
after achieving nine accomplishments (Kshayik right faith, conduct,
consciousness, perception, charity, gain, Bhog, Upbhog and vitality) have
become Kevalies, for their sentience does not now need the help of senses
or light. Since they are with the operations of the mind, speech and body,
they are Sayog and since they have conquered both the psychic and material
karmas they are called the Jins and their Gunasthan is called, Sayog
Kevati Jin. These same Kevali Bhagwan enlighten the path of emancipation
by their divine discourses on the path of liberation of the soul.

Influx of Sata Vedniya
on account of mental, bodily and speech movements is for a moment only,
but that does not materialise in bondage due to the absence of passions.

14. Ayog Kevali Jin

The Arahant Bhagwans in
this Gunasthan are without any activity of mind, speech and body and have
attained omniscience. Therefore, this Gunasthan is called Ayog Kevali Jin.
The duration is the time taken in pronouncing five vowels in Hindi. In the
last two moments the Arahant Bhagwan destroys all the Prakrities of the
Aghati Karmas (non-destructive karmas) and attains Siddhahood.

SIDDHA PARMESTHI

Those who have now
crossed the fourteen Gunasthans of the worldly existence, are now bereft
of all the eight psychic and the conventional karmas; who enjoy the
everlasting bliss, which is dependent only on their own souls; who are
without any blemish being without psychic, conventional or matter karmas;
who are eternal, for now they would not assume any new modification of
life phases; who have got the eight great attributes due to the
destruction of all the eight psychic and material karmas (Kshayik,
Samayktva, Anant Gyan, Anant Darshan, Anant Virya, Sukshamatva,
Awagahanatva, Agurulaghutva, and Avayavadhatva); who have permanently
settled in the uppermost part of the world, for it is not in their nature
now to move about in any of the ten directions; and who are now complete
in themselves, having nothing now to do. These blessed souls are called
the Siddhas.

Dharma Ke
Dashalakshana, page 95 Dr. Hukamchand Bharilla

One can not make out
why people desire to chew the betel leaves even after taking palatable
food stomachful ? It seems that such people have come from animal life,
hence, have the habit of eating grass which can not be given up, or, they
are preparing to go back to animal life, so that don't wont to give up
this habit. Because, if the habit of eating grass and, that too, eating it
round the clock, is given up, what will happen, then, in the new life ?
Or, also, it may be that they might have come from hellish life where no
food was available even for many 'Sogaras' (Innumerable years); now it is
available, hence, they are pouncing, voraciously, on it. Or, it may be,
that they are getting ready to go to hell. They think, "Let us eat till we
survive; we don't know whether it will be available later on or not."

Whatever it may be,
in the name of filling the stomach, such people keep busy in enjoying the
objects of the five senses.